Salvia plant named ‘MSWNBoyton2’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Salvia plant named ‘MSWNBoyton2’, characterized by its relatively compact, upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; freely branching habit and vigorous growth habit; bushy appearance; greyish green-colored leaves; relatively large inflorescences with violet blue-colored flowers; long flowering period; and relative tolerance to high temperatures and dry or wet conditions.

Botanical designation: Salvia dorrii x Salvia clevelandii.

Cultivar denomination: ‘MSWNBoyton2’.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY INVENTOR & APPLICANT/ASSIGNEE

The Inventor and Applicant/Assignee assert that no publications noradvertisements relating to sales, offers for sale or public distributionoccurred more than one year prior to the effective filing date of thisapplication. Any information about the claimed plant would have beenobtained from a direct or indirect disclosure from the Inventor and/orthe Applicant/Assignee. Inventor and Applicant/Assignee claim a priorart exception under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/or salesprior to the filing date but less than one year prior to the effectivefiling date.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Salviaplant, botanically known as Salvia dorrii x Salvia clevelandii andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘MSWNBoyton2’.

The new Salvia plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Tucson, Ariz. The objective of the breedingprogram is to create new long-lived Salvia plants with high temperaturetolerance, tolerance to dry and wet conditions and long floweringseason.

The new Salvia plant originated from a cross-pollination conducted bythe Inventor in May, 2016 of an unnamed selection of Salvia dorrii, notpatented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unnamed selection ofSalvia clevelandii, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. Thenew Salvia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a singleflowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollinationgrown in a controlled environment in Tucson, Ariz. in May, 2017.

Asexual reproduction of the new Salvia plant by softwood vegetativecuttings in Tucson, Ariz. since May, 2017, has shown that the uniquefeatures of this new Salvia plant are stable and reproduced true to typein successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Salvia have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such astemperature and light intensity without, however, any variance ingenotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘MSWNBoyton2’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘MSWNBoyton2’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofSalvia:

-   -   1. Relatively compact, upright and outwardly spreading plant        habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit and vigorous growth habit; bushy        appearance.    -   3. Greyish green-colored leaves.    -   4. Relatively large inflorescences with violet blue-colored        flowers.    -   5 Long flowering period.    -   6. Relatively tolerant to high temperatures and dry or wet        conditions.

Plants of the new Salvia can be compared to plants of the female parentselection. Plants of the new Salvia differ from plants of the femaleparent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Leaves of plants of the new Salvia are narrower and more oval        and not as rounded as leaves of plants of the female parent        selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Salvia have larger inflorescences than        plants of the female parent selection.    -   3. Plants of the new Salvia are more tolerant to high        temperature and wet conditions than plants of the female parent        selection.

Plants of the new Salvia can be compared to plants of the male parentselection. Plants of the new Salvia differ from plants of the maleparent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Salvia are much shorter than plants of the        male parent selection.    -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Salvia are narrower than leaves        of plants of the male parent selection.    -   3. Plants of the new Salvia have larger inflorescences than        plants of the male parent selection.    -   4. Plants of the new Salvia tolerate wet conditions better than        plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Salvia can be compared to plants of an unnamedselection of Salvia greggii known to the Inventor, not patented. Inside-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Salvia differed from plantsof the unnamed selection of Salvia greggii in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Salvia have greyish green-colored leaves        whereas plants of the unnamed selection of Salvia greggi have        green-colored leaves.    -   2. Plants of the new Salvia have larger inflorescences than        plants of the unnamed selection of Salvia greggii.    -   3. Plants of the new Salvia have violet blue-colored flowers        whereas plants of the unnamed selection of Salvia greggii have        pinkish red-colored flowers.    -   4. Plants of the new Salvia are more tolerant to high        temperatures than plants of the unnamed selection of Salvia        greggii.

Plants of the new Salvia can also be compared to plants of an unnamedselection of Salvia chamaedryiodes known to the Inventor, not patented.In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Salvia differed fromplants of the unnamed selection of Salvia chamaedryiodes in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Salvia have larger inflorescences than        plants of the unnamed selection of Salvia chamaedryiodes.    -   2. Plants of the new Salvia have violet blue-colored flowers        whereas plants of the unnamed selection of Salvia chamaedryiodes        have light blue-colored flowers.    -   3. Plants of the new Salvia are more tolerant to wet conditions        than plants of the unnamed selection of Salvia chamaedryiodes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Salvia plant, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the actualcolors of the new Salvia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet (FIG. 1) comprises a side perspectiveview of a typical flowering plant of ‘MSWNBoyton2’ grown in container.

The photograph on the second sheet (FIG. 2) is a close-up view of atypical flowering plant of ‘MSWNBoyton2’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations andmeasurements describe plants grown during the spring and summer incontainers in outdoor nurseries in Glendale, Ariz. and Fort Worth, Tex.and under cultural practices typical of commercial Salvia production.Plants were three years old when the photographs and description weretaken. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged fromabout 10° C. to 48° C. and night temperatures ranged from about 1° C. to32° C. In the following description, color references are made to TheRoyal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except wheregeneral terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Salvia dorrii X Salvia clevelandii    ‘MSWNBoyton2’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed selection of Salvia dorrii,            not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed selection of Salvia            clevelandii, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By softwood vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 15 days at soil            temperatures about 27° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 21 days at soil            temperatures about 22° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 60 days            at soil temperatures about 27° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 100 days            at soil temperatures about 22° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically white to light            brown in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on            substrate composition, water quality, fertilizer type and            formulation, substrate temperature and physiological age of            roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Type.—Herbaceous perennial.        -   Form.—Relatively compact, upright and outwardly spreading            plant form; broad inverted triangle; flowers arranged on            upright terminal cymes.        -   Branching habit.—Freely basal branching with plants            potentially developing lateral branches at every node.        -   Growth habit.—Vigorous.        -   Plant height.—About 32 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 71 cm.        -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 47 cm. Diameter:            About 3 mm. Internode length: About 2.1 cm. Strength:            Strong, flexible. Aspect: Mostly upright; with subsequent            development, decumbent. Texture: Densely covered with very            fine pubescence. Color: Close to 177D with whitish-colored            pubescence.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.        -   Length.—About 2.75 cm.        -   Width.—About 8 mm.        -   Shape.—Narrowly oblong.        -   Apex.—Broadly acute.        -   Base.—Cuneate to attenuate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Densely covered with very            fine pubescence.        -   Fragrance.—Strongly aromatic.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:            Close to 189A; venation, close to 189A. Developing and fully            expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 191A; venation,            close to 191A.        -   Petiole length.—About 1.8 cm.        -   Petiole diameter.—About 2 mm.        -   Petiole texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Densely covered            with very fine pubescence.        -   Petiole color, upper surface.—Close to 189A.        -   Petiole color, lower surface.—Close to 191A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and shape.—Single bilabiate flowers            arranged in terminal cymes; flowers face upright to            outwardly depending on position in the inflorescence.        -   Flowering habit.—Freely flowering habit, numerous            inflorescences each with about 30 to 40 flowers per            inflorescence.        -   Natural flowering season.—Continuous flowering during the            summer in the Southwestern United States; plants re-flower            after removal of fully developed inflorescences.        -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About five to ten days;            flowers not persistent.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 7 mm. Diameter: About 3.5 mm.            Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to N77B to N77C.        -   Inflorescence size.—Length: About 2.5 cm. Diameter: About            2.25 cm.        -   Flowers.—Size: About 4 mm by 5 mm. Depth (height): About 7.5            mm.        -   Petals.—Arrangement: Two, fused at the base. Length, upper            lip: About 7.5 mm. Length, lower lip: About 6.5 mm. Width,            upper lip: About 4 mm. Width, lower lip: About 5 mm. Shape,            upper lip: Broadly elliptic; apex, rounded; margin, entire.            Shape, lower lip: Spatulate; apex, lobes obtuse; margin,            entire. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces:            Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: Upper and lower lips, when            opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 97A. Upper            and lower lips, when opening and fully opened, lower            surface: Close to 97A.        -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Five sepals fused into a tube. Length:            About 5 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Shape: Narrowly deltoid.            Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper and            lower surfaces: Slightly pubescent; matte. Color, upper            surface: Close to 148B. Color, lower surface: Close to N79B            to N79C.        -   Peduncles.—Strength: Strong. Length: About 2.2 cm. Diameter:            About 1 mm. Aspect: Erect to about 45° from vertical.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to N79B to N79C.        -   Pedicels.—Strength: Strong. Length: About 1.5 mm. Diameter:            Less than 1 mm. Aspect: Erect to about 45° from vertical            depending on position on the inflorescence. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: Close to N79B to N79C.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Two;            anthers dorsifixed. Filament length: About 0.1 mm. Filament            color: Close to 90C. Anther shape: Oblong. Anther length:            About 0.2 mm. Anther color: Close to 199A to 199B. Pollen            amount: None observed. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One.            Pistil length: About 5 mm. Stigma shape: Cleft, two-parted.            Stigma color: Close to 79A to 79B. Style length: About 4 mm.            Style color: Close to N88A to N88D. Ovary color: Close to            144A.        -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit production has not            been observed on plants of the new Salvia.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Salvia have    not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Salvia plants.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Salvia have been observed to    have good garden performance and to tolerate full sun condition,    partial shade conditions, rain, wind, arid conditions and    temperatures ranging from about −18° C. to 48° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Salvia plant named ‘MSWNBoyton2’ asillustrated and described.